Tag Archives: Wet Flies 101

January appearances and classes

Lots going on this winter, and I hope to see you during my travels. Also, thanks to everyone who joined the follow list over the holidays. I’m grateful for your support. If you’re new (or fairly new) please say hello in the comments section below. Tell me a little about yourself, what you like to fish for, how you like to fish, etc. I will of course be doing another fly package giveaway once we hit 400 followers. Onward and upward!

We kick off the 2016 appearances calendar in New Jersey. I’ll be presenting “The Little Things” to the Coastal Flyrodders on Tuesday, January 19, at Larkin House, 380 Godwin Ave, Wyckoff, NJ, at 7:30PM. Their mission statement says their primary goal is to have fun. My kind of group. For directions and details, visit coastalflyrodders.com.

Next up is the Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, MA. I will be appearing at the Destination Theater on Friday, January 22 and Saturday, January 23 and presenting “Wet Flies 101.” This is one of my more popular presentations, and as the title suggests, it serves as a wet fly primer. Presentation times are as follows: Friday, January 22, 2:00pm, Destination Theater Room A. Saturday, January 23, 10:00am, Destination Theater Room A. The show takes place at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough. For more information, visit http://flyfishingshow.com/marlborough-ma/

As Mister Sullivan might say, it’s a really big shew.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

We close out the month with “Wet Flies and Fuzzy Nymphs for the Farmington” on Saturday 1/30 at UpCountry Sportfishing. This is a fly tying class, but you cannot sign up for it until they post it on their website.  Last year’s class sold out in no time flat, so keep your eyes peeled on the UpCountry site.

More, more, more: I’ll be tying at the CFFA Show Saturday, February 6, at the Compleat Angler on Saturday, March 5, and at the CFFA Tyers’ Roundtable in April. Stay tuned to your favorite fly fishing magazines, as the word machine has been humming along. Plus fly tying videos, Currentseams Q&A (thanks for all the terrific suggestions) and of course, fishing reports.

 

 

Some new events for January 2016

Yes, it’s late enough in the present year to be able to mention next year without it seeming like a ridiculous number of months away. Ladies and gentlemen, start your calendars.

I will be making two presentations of “Wet Flies 101” at the Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, MA, Friday 1/22 and Saturday 1/23. More details once we get into January.

And a heads up: I will again be teaching “Wet Flies and Fuzzy Nymphs for the Farmington” on Saturday 1/30 at UpCountry Sportfishing. You cannot sign up for that tying class here, and you cannot sign up until they post it on their website. I’m just letting you know it’s coming. Last year’s class sold out in no time flat.

For those of you in the NYC/Fairfield County area, I will be at the Orvis store in Ridge Hill Shopping Center in Yonkers, NY, tomorrow night 12/17, presenting “The Little Things” to the TU Croton Watershed Chapter. You need to sign up to attend. For more information and directions, visit https://www.facebook.com/cwctu

What a fun job I have.

Soft hackles have been fooling trout for centuries — and the fish aren’t getting any smarter.

Partridge and Light Cahills

Of Jalapeño Cheeseburgers, IPAs, and Wet Flies, or: Thank You, HFFA

Many thanks to the HFFA for hosting me last night. The pre-game meal was both delicious and appreciated (see Culton’s Rule of Presentation, AKA “A fed presenter is a happy presenter.”) I hadn’t given the “Wet Flies 101” program in some time, so it was nice to return to an old friend. Speaking of old friends, there were many familiar faces in the audience, which is always gratifying. Thanks to everyone who took the time to come out, share their experiences, and ask so many good questions.

Winged wets like these have been fooling trout for hundreds of years, and the fish aren’t getting any smarter.

BatchoHendricksons

I have two more appearances in December — more on those soon.

Good Times at the Arts of the Angler and Wet Flies 101 Thursday 11/5/15

No scary monsters. No ghoulish goblins. Just a good group of people who share a passion for fly fishing. That’s a pretty fair way to describe Halloween at the Arts of the Angler show. If you’re one of the people who stopped by to chat, ask questions, or watch me tie, thanks for taking the time. I truly appreciate your interest and your enthusiasm. And many thanks to the people from the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum for your hospitality.

Steve C. That’s me.

Arts of the Angler

My next appearance is this week:

Thursday, November 5, “Wet Flies 101 — The ancient and traditional art of subsurface fly fishing” at the HFFA meeting, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Wallingford. For more information and directions, visit https://www.facebook.com/HousatonicFlyFishermen

Farmington River Report: still low and slow

Dave took my Wet Flies 101 class today in the form of a private lesson. We fished two runs in the permanent TMA (170 cfs) and then we bounced around above Riverton (110cfs). The TMA was a blank, but we found some fish willing to jump on after we headed north.

Dave did a great job moving around in an effort to find fish (something I can’t emphasize enough when wet fly fishing). We brought a gorgeous wild brookie to net, and played tug-of-war with something more substantial that decided to skedaddle before we could land it.

What great day to be fishing as we had vast stretches of water all to ourselves.

Heads up! Incoming char.

Dave S Brookie

~

Dave covering water with his team of three wets.

Dave S Swinging

Thank you UpCountry and everyone who attended my Wet Flies 101 class

The rains held off and we had a fine (if not humid) overcast day to swing some wets on the Farmington. BWOs, Sulphurs, and Isonychia joined in the party. Many thanks to UpCountry Sportfishing for hosting me. Many thanks to Dick, Matt, Mike, Rhonda, and Wayne for participating, and for asking so many good questions (as you learned, I love talking about fly fishing). You were a great group to spend the afternoon with, and a pleasure to teach. The trout were semi-cooperative, and we found several willing to jump on. Keep on keepin’ on, gang, and you’ll see the subsurface dividends start to roll in. Special thanks to fellow Farmington River guide Antoine Bissieux for so generously sharing the water.

We like bent rods at Wet Flies 101. That’s a seven-foot 3-weight fiberglass stick Mike is doing battle with.

WF101 Fish On

~

One of several trout brought to net. Good job, group!

WF101 Brown

New class forming: Wet Flies 101, Saturday, July 18

I will be teaching Wet Flies 101 on Saturday, July 18. This popular class is through UpCountry Sportfishing in New Hartford. Here is the course description from the UpCountry site:

Join outdoor writer and Farmington River guide Steve Culton Saturday, July 18, as we explore the wonders of wet fly fishing on the Farmington River. Whether searching, imitating drowned terrestrials, or fishing under the hatch, wet flies can be a highly productive summer tactic. Wet Flies 101 includes streamside and on-the-water instruction, and will cover basics like rigging, fly selection, and presentation. Flies will be included. Class begins at noon and will run approximately 4 hours, leaving plenty of time for you to enjoy the evening rise with your new skills. Tuition is $100, and space is limited to 4 people.

Please do not try to register for this class here. You need to do it through UpCountry: 860-379-1952.

I hope everyone had a safe, happy, celebratory 4th of July.

This gorgeous high-teens wild Farmington brown found a Drowned Ant soft-hackle to his liking on a hot mid-July afternoon.

BigWildBrownFarmy 7:13

Cheeseburger in wet fly paradise

There’s one sure way to get this presenter in a good mood, and that’s to offer to take him out to dinner before the engagement. And so it was that I found myself last night with several members of the Farmington Valley TU Chapter at the Whinstone Tavern in New Britain, CT, with a lovely medium-rare burger, crisp, tasty fries, crunchy deli pickle slice, and a moderately-hopped IPA. Wonderful!

And so, thank you. Thank you for feeding me. Thank you for being so welcoming. Thank you for finding that most excellent venue. Thank you for your technical support. And thank you for providing me with such a rapt, curious audience. I counted about fifty people. A decent crowned is always a positive.

Overheard last night: “That was the best presentation we’ve ever had.” Such kind words. Speaking of presentation, the trout below took this Magic Fly — fished wet — on a dead drift at the edge of a plunge pool current seam.

Brown PWWwet

Presenting “Wet Flies 101” Wednesday March 4 at FVTU

First and foremost: the venue has changed. The meeting will be in the large banquet room of the Whinstone Tavern at Stanley Golf Course, 245 Hartford Rd., New Britain, CT. I think doors open at 6:30 and the meeting starts at 7:00. I assume there will be an update on the FVTU website, fvtu.org.

The Program: Wet Flies 101 – The ancient and traditional art of subsurface fly fishing. Wet flies have been taking trout for centuries — and the fish aren’t getting any smarter. More and more anglers are discovering that a wet fly is often the best way to match a hatch. Explore the wonders of the wet fly as we cover basics like wet fly types, leader construction, where to fish wet flies, and how to fish them.

If you want to see the other nineteen slides, you gotta come to the presentation.

Wet Flies 101

Thanks to TU Croton Watershed for hosting me last night

All I can say is that the bar has been raised. It wasn’t just the great turnout — the room was packed with attentive members who came armed with dozens of good questions. It wasn’t just the welcoming, friendly spirit of the group. No, it was both of those things and the cheeseburger and beer they took me out for before the presentation. A well-fed presenter is a happy presenter.

Last night’s talk was Wet Flies 101. I brought along a selection of a dozen wet flies for their raffle, and left with a Croton Trout Unlimited hat in the bargain. Thanks so much, everyone, for your kindness and hospitality.

Black Caddis Spider

Next up: Eastern Brook Trout at the TU Naugatuck/Pomperaug Chapter on Wednesday, October 1. See you there.